A policy statement that would stop the importation of fertiliser into the country would be announced by the Federal Government within the next few weeks, the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, has said.
Sulaiman disclosed this when he visited the Super Phosphate Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd, in continuation of his monitoring tour of privatised companies under the Bureau of Privatised Enterprises.
A statement from the planning ministry issued yesterday said the decision to ban fertiliser was hinged on the fact that the country does not import what it had the capabilities to produce.
“We need to stop importation of products we can produce in Nigeria including fertiliser. A policy statement is coming out in few weeks to address that. What we can produce in Nigeria, we must not import,” the statement quoted the minister to have said.
Sulaiman also stated that the agriculture sector has had impressive impact on Nigerians and government is also keen to further boost the sector in the rural areas.
Accordingly, he said that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan through the Ministry of Agriculture has ended the scam in the fertiliser sector through the use of modern technology.
He added that the federal government would ensure that local producers of fertilizers do not suffer low patronage as the ban on the importation will boost local patronage from Nigerians.
The minister argued that if the country must address the issue of unemployment and poverty, then the local companies must be sustained and encouraged to expand their productive capacities.
He also reiterated government’s commitment to revamp the power sector, insisting that the idea of privatising the sector is in the best interest of Nigerians.
The minister, who also visited the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, said, “The Federal government is very committed to revamping the power sector.
“Government is doing everything right to make sure that the power sector works better and more efficiently for Nigerians to enjoy. The idea of privatisation is in the best interest of Nigerians.”
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.